


DNA

by beatleing



Category: Backstreet Boys, Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, DNA, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-25 09:28:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 12,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17722583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beatleing/pseuds/beatleing
Summary: I've been a fan of the Backstreet Boys since I was a teen and I've been listening (and loving) their new album the whole week and this little idea came to my mind. What if their album told a story? A story about Ross and Demelza. This is a little experiment and my first Romelza modern setting fanfic. It's going to be a short and quick fic. I promise.





	1. NEW LOVE

**Author's Note:**

> Each chapter will be a song. And this goes unbeta'd, so sorry in advance for any mistake!  
> Nothing is mine, Poldark belongs to WG and the lyrics to the BSB.

 

Just that morning he had landed in Newquay Airport, got on a taxi, anxious to get to their place at Trenwith Tower. He had gone to get a Master degree in the States, he had gone for a year. Just that morning he had found her with his cousin. They were kissing in their kitchen, his hands in her ass, hers around his neck. It was three in the morning now and he had drunk half of the Atlantic Ocean. There were girls around him. He was at a night club if it could be called that. Dwight had taken off about two hours ago. He said he had to work tomorrow. Ross was standing at the dance floor, a pint in one of his hands, the other stroking back, waist and below of one of the girls who was moving against him. In the smoke and colorful lights nebula he saw her, a redhead looking at him.     

_Who are you, the sex police?_

_My sex ain't got no rules_

_Got a million options next to me._

_Let me do what I do._

But he can’t get his dizzy eyes away from her. She’s talking to somebody and then she laughs. She’s gorgeous. And sexy. And he wants to caress her body instead. The alcohol, the loud music, and the redhead making him forget about Elizabeth.     


_And I call it new love, new love, new love_  


Staggering, he approaches her and he hears his dance partners complaining but when he turns around they’re already entertaining with each other. He spills some beer on himself when he finally reached her and she laughs at him. He laughs too. “Do you want to dance?” he screams to her ear. Her friend encouraged her to do it. He’s back at the dance floor, he left his glass with her friend, and this time he is dancing. She doesn’t smile and when he puts his hands on her waist she pushes him away.

_Don't say it's the wrong thing_

_'Cause it don't feel like the wrong thing_

_I stay on my own thing_

_This night bein' a long thing_

_And I call it new love_  


His eyesight focus and all he can see is her. Her deep blue eyes scrutinizing him, her red lips, her soft skin, her hair frizzed and wild. And she starts to move. And he gets a little closer.

  
_I want all of you all over me_

_In any dark room._

_And I don't wanna know your name. No._

_Just let me do what I do. Oh yeah, baby_ __  
  
_And I call it new love, new love, new love._

  
  
And it doesn’t fell like the wrong thing that they keep dancing the whole night.

  
  
_It's only love, it ain't official_

_No expectations, only here and now_

_Baby, we're in this thing together_

_You and I don't feel like the wrong thing._

 

Her friend comes to look for her when it’s already dawned in the outside world and she has to untangle her from him. She looks at him and smiles.

 

   
_Don't say it's the wrong thing_

_'Cause it don't feel like the wrong thing_

_I stay on my own thing_

_This night bein' a long thing, yeah._  


_And I call it new love, new love, new love._  


 


	2. DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART

Ross woke up in a strange couch to the smell of coffee and something else watering his mouth. His head was pounding and could barely recollect how he had got there. He looked around rubbing his eyes, the room in which he was seemed brought out the Georgian era. Stone walls, a big fireplace, small windows. A soft and modern carpet where a dog rested discordant with its surroundings. He heard noises coming from another room close by and he sat on the sofa, kicking inadvertently an empty bucket that was placed next to him. A little note dangling on top of it: “Just in case”. The dog began barking when he stood intensifying his headache. “Bathroom on the first door upstairs!”- a singing voice said from the other room.

She was finishing preparing breakfast when he came to the kitchen. The beer stain stood out in his white shirt. He took the aspirin and the glass of water she’d left on the table without saying a word. Then he came close to her, her heart beating fast on her chest. Gosh, he was so dark and handsome. She turned to get the cups of coffee to the table and he stood behind her, put his hands on her small waist and placed a kiss on her neck. He started moving against her, dancing like he did last night. And her heart beat ever faster.     

_I got mixed emotions_  
_Did I finally find me a river that could lead me out to the ocean?_  
_'Cause I've only ever known the kind of love_  
_That leaves you battered and broken_  
_So forgive me for my mixed emotions._  
_I'm not that kind of person_  
_Who can fall in and out of love with you_  
_That's not what love's supposed to do_  
_I'm not that kind of person_  
_Who can fall in and out of love with you_  
_That's not what love's supposed to do_

She moved away from him to bring the breakfast to the table. “Waffles?” – she asked. His eyes following her everywhere she went. He raised his lips into a smile and sat in front of her, a pleased moan deep in his throat when he tasted her cooking. “I’m sorry, I can’t remember your name.” – he said after his second waffle. “Demelza Carne.” – “Ross Poldark.” – She did remember his name and some other things he had said during the night. But she didn’t know where he lived and hadn’t have the money to pay another taxi so she had brought him to her house, she thought it was better than to leave him sleeping on the street.

“I’ll bring you a clean T-shirt so you can change that one.” – he looks at her funny when she says that. She tells him it’s from her ex boyfriend. They’ve just broke up and he hadn’t taken all his stuff away yet. Last night was supposed to be a rebound night, her friend Caroline had convinced her to go out. To celebrate. She didn’t feel like she had much to celebrate about.

  
_Baby, don't go breaking my heart, breaking my heart_  
_'Cause it's the only one I've got_  
_Am I being too open?_  
_'Cause I told you everything I have to say_  
_And now we're having a moment_  
_Does it make you wanna pack up all your things_  
_And drive away_ like _you stole it?_  
_Just forgive me if I'm being too open_

When she walks him out of her house he finds that she’s even more beautiful bathed in the morning sunlight. And he shouldn’t do that, not after what she told him. She’s not looking for something and he forgets that he hadn’t been looking for something serious either. He kisses her while they’re waiting for the uber, her lips still sweet from the strawberry jam she ate just moments before. The car arrives and he asks for her number but she hesitates.

  
_I'm not that kind of person_  
_Who can fall in and out of love with you_  
_That's not what love's supposed to do_

He’s a complete stranger, she thinks. And the story he told her in his drunken state twist in her mind. Because for him it was a one-night stand too. But even though she can’t comprehend the strong beating on her chest every time he looks at her, she knows he’s different. Especial.

  
_Baby, don't go breaking my heart, breaking my heart_  
_'Cause it's the only one I've got_  
_Baby, don't go breaking my heart, breaking my heart_  
_I've been broken, I've been bruised_  
_But now I'm all in 'cause of you_  
_So if you're gonna love me, love me right._  
_But if you're gonna be someone that hurts somebody just for fun_  
_Then do it to a heart that isn't mine._  
  
_Baby, don't go breaking my heart, breaking my_ heart .  
_'Cause it's the only one I've_ got .  
_It's the only one, it's the only one I got_  
_Baby, don't go._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. PASSIONATE

He’s staying at Dwight’s, he dropped at Trenwith to pick up a few things but he’s been living with only a suitcase for months now so he can cope for a few days more until he knows what to do next. His friend hears his grumble through a take-out dinner but all he wants to do is be alone with his phone. It’s the second night he sleeps on a couch but it doesn’t matter, he will move forward. He should pretend to be some disinterested but he’s not in the right mood for pretentions. He texts her that very same night, hiding like a child under the covers which his friend lent him. He asks her out, a proper date but she writes no, she has to study. And then a sad face emoji. He sends her a crying face. She tells him that she’s about to get her degree in Design and she has her last exam in a few weeks. He keeps texting her in the following days, tells her he’s an architect and that he’s planning to open a studio in Sawle. He has to, after all. There’s no way he would go back to work in his family’s company where he could see Elizabeth and Francis on a daily basis. He asks her out again and again but the answer is always the same. They moved to audios now, and they keep talking, getting to know each other.     

_I'm the type of person to get carried away_  
_Been this way since I came out of the womb_  
_A bit obsessive, got that all for me, yeah_  
_Yeah, and God knows I do not like to lose_

Finally, the day arrives and he goes to wait for her after the exam, a bouquet of flowers in his hands. There’s no one else, no family, no friends, and he’s glad he’d come. He sees her coming down the stairs of the college, a triumphant smile on her face. Her eyes light up when he sees him. He lifts her feet from the ground and spins her around like and rom-com idiot. “Judas!” – she shrieks in surprise. “Congratulations. Can we have a date now?”

  
_And I want your love, I want your love_  
 _I'm doing whatever it takes_  
 _And I want your love, I want your love_  
 _I know I come on hard, there's no need to be alarmed_  
 _It's just I'm... Passionate_

They go to a pub for a few drinks. There she tells him about her relationship with her father, the short version is that they don’t get along well. He realized that she’s alone just like him. They dance for a bit, she’s just too happy to stay still, but it’s not too late when they go to her place again.

_I can't help it, I need to get my hands on all of it_  
_Need to get my hands on all of it._  
_I'm passionate_  
_I can't help it, I need to get my hands on all of it_  
_Need to get my hands on all of it._

He notices the ‘For Sale’ sign in her garden when they reach her house. “Are you selling?” –“The house is not mine, I’m just renting.” He should have figured it out, that house on Nampara Road was too big for her. She tells him she rented the house with a few other students but now she was the last and couldn’t afford it all on her own. And besides, she must move to a place where she can get a job…

_I never listen to the voice in my head_  
_You know, it's like I got no brakes in my car (I never listen to it)_  
_I'm on a mission, gonna sleep when I'm dead_  
_And it's impossible to stop when I start_

The idea comes from nowhere. He can already see it. Nampara is the perfect place to open his studio, he could remodel one of the warehouses next to the main building and stop meeting clients in cafes. But most important, she could work with him and remain in the house, there’s no need for her to move out. She looks at him like he had half wit branded across his forehead. “You’re crazy.”  

_And I want your love, I want your love, I want your love_  
_I know I come on hard, there's no need to be alarmed_  
_It's just I'm...Passionate._

He’s already pacing all over the house picturing it the changes they would do. He’s about to ask for paper and pencil when he realized Demelza has wriggled out of his side. He finds her in the master bedroom, a silk green nightie barely covering her skin. He’s about the say something but she quiets him with kisses.  
  
_Oh, I'm so passionate_

_All I want is everything_  
_Too much adrenaline_  
_And all I'll do is anything_  
_But like a gentleman._  
  
_Passionate_  
_I can't help it, I need to get my hands on all of it_  
_Need to get my hands on all of it, all._

_I'm passionate_  
_I can't help it, I need to get my hands on all of it_  
_Need to get my hands on all of it, all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. CHANCES

In the end, Demelza didn’t move out from Nampara. The ‘Leisure Architecture Studio’ had been up and running for months now and, as she suspected it, the renovations were not only limited to the warehouse but also to the main house. She insisted in keep paying half the rent until one day he came grinning from ear to ear and told her he had spent all his savings and had bought the house and that she shan’t worry about the rent because he had no intentions to throw her out. She had wanted to, though. At least at the beginning. The very first day the office was open they had stood until late and she had made dinner for the two of them. He seemed to enjoy her cooking. And the problem was that the studio was too close from the dining room and the dining room too close to the bedroom. And he had stayed with her since then.   

_What if I never run into you?_  
_What if you never smiled at me?_  
_What if I had noticed you too?_  
_And you never showed up where I happened to be_

Time was flying by. The studio was growing, earning a name in the area. Much of it was thanks to Demelza. She was creative and had learnt the craft of designing buildings quicker than he never saw anyone. And she was a force of nature when it came to deal with clients. She had grown around him professionally and they had become the same part of a sentence to everyone. Ross and Demelza. Ross and Demelza’s studio, Ross and Demelza’s idea, Ross and Demelza’s home. Well, it was time to make it official. She wanted nothing fancy, just the two of them at the courthouse. Their neighbours, Jud and Prudie, were going to be there as witnesses. She had gone upstairs to change and while he waited for her he remembered how they’d met.

  _What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?_  
_On a quiet night, what are the odds?_  
_What's a guy like me doing in a place like this?_  
_I could have just walked by, who would have thought?_  
_What are the chances that we'd end up dancing?_  
_Like two in a million, like once in a life_  
_I could have found you, put my arms around you_  
_Like two in a million, like once in a life_  
_What are the chances?_

“We’re going to be late.” – he called. Women. Why in god’s name do they take so long? Even Demelza, who was the most practical girl he ever knew, he always ended up waiting for her a couple of minutes. He? He had shaved that morning, gone to the studio to send some e-mails, put on his best trousers, a new shirt, polished his shoes and was ready to go with time to spare. “Almost ready!”. When she came down he decided that he never again will complain about the time she takes to ready herself. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “Here, help me with this and I’m ready.” – he helped her with the necklace he had given her for her birthday. He meant it as a joke but she loved it beyond anything. He bitted his lower lip when she turned around and asked him how she looked. The little lace dress tight at her waist and then falling in waves to her knees, crimson shoes, the same colour of the flowers she carried in her hands and hair, the letters DP sparkling in her neck.

_What if I hadn't asked for your name?_  
_And time hadn't stopped when you said it to me?_  
_Of all of the plans that I could have made_  
_Of all of the nights that I couldn't sleep,_  
_What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?_  
_In a crowded room, what are the odds?_  
_What's a guy like me doing in a place like this?_  
_Getting close to you, but here we are_  
_What are the chances that we'd end up dancing?_  
_Like two in a million, like once in a life_

Two hours later they were driving back to Nampara as husband and wife. “It’s your time to cook.” – she said nonchalantly. And yes, it was his turn. They alternated, lunch and dinner, one time each. “Sorry, I have nothing ready.” – they had stopped at red light. She took his hand in hers and caressed it over the ring she had put in his finger and then kissed it when the light gave them passage. “Maybe we should to stop somewhere and buy something, I’m hungry.” –he moved his head in denial. She laughed, “No?! And what are you going to eat?” – “You. Mrs Poldark.”

_That I could have found you, put my arms around you_  
_Like two in a million, like once in a life_  
_What are the chances?_  
_Is it love? Is it fate?_  
_Who am I? Who's to say?_  
_Don't know exactly what it means_  
_Is it love? Is it fate?_  
_Where it leads, who can say?_  
_Maybe you and I were meant to be_


	5. OK

_July, it's only been a month since I married you_  
_I gotta say that was my favorite June_  
_And I knew from that night that I would be alright_

They improvised a honeymoon when they went to meet a client in Porthcurno. He was an old friend of his family and had found out about Ross’ wedding. They gave them the best room in a lovely ancient Chateau looking at the sea. The summer weather conducive to long walks on the beach and to make love night and day. 

_If I, I only knew that one day I would find_  
_Someone like you, I'd take back all those nights I wasted_  
_Looking for the right one at the wrong door_

To be honest, he didn’t think much about his marriage to Demelza. Didn’t think it was going to make a great difference between them. They had met, got along, it was true that he had sort of invaded her life but he had no choice when she told him she would have to leave. And is not like she doesn’t like it. She loves her life, she told him. She enjoys working, building, creating. She has made several new friends. She has girl’s nights when he wants to watch the football with Dwight and Zacky. The house was already hers but with the little money he could spend she made it a home for both of them. They go to the cinema every week, and like everything they share she always tries he enjoys it as much as her, so they pick a movie one week each.

  
_We fit together, you make me better_  
_Whatever it takes, I'm here forever_  
_Bad things'll happen, but none of that matters_  
_We'll find a way, as long as I'm with you, I'm okay_

It’s not so easy for her. People didn’t seem to care much that she and Ross had been living together for more than a year but now she reads nasty tweets and comments on Leisure’s Facebook page about her being a fortune hunter, or that Ross married her out of pity, and that he could have done much better than her. Ross deletes every comment and blocks every twitter account that speaks ill of her, but she sees them every now and then anyway.

_Baby, I'm all in it, just tell me you were all in it_  
_People wanna talk, shut 'em all off_  
_And tell 'em all to mind their business_  
_Will for the grumps and cynics_  
_Been that way from the beginning_  
_People see what they don't have_  
_They get sad and act out 'cause they're winning_  
_I love the way you wanna love me, too_

He never doubted she’d win them back. Maybe not the Teagues, but they mattered little. There was a small incident in the opening of one of the buildings they have designed, Ross had invited Demelza’s father and stepmother and Ruth had made an impertinent comment about the eccentric visitors. He’d to endure Demelza’s chastisement later that night but he was too pleased with her to take her seriously. His whole family had been there that night, even Francis and Elizabeth, and Demelza had dazzled them all.

_We fit together, you make me better_  
_Whatever it takes, I'm here forever_  
_Bad things'll happen, but none of that matters_  
_We'll find a way, as long as I'm with you, I'm okay_

“Are you too angry with me?” He asked her giggling. She had moved away from him to save her shoes in the closet. Demelza came back barefooted, slowly walking towards where he was, still frowning at him and helped him to take his tie from his shirt collar which she then placed around his neck and used it to bring him closer for a kiss. “No Ross. Nothing else matters, as long as I’m with you I’m okay.”

       
_Nothing else matters_  
_As long as I'm with you, I'm okay_  
_Yeah, nothing else matters_  
_And baby, I know, we'll find a way_  
_Eh, eh, as long as I'm with you, I'm okay_  
  
_I love the way you wanna love me, too_  
  
_We fit together, you make me better_  
_Whatever it takes, I'm here forever_  
_Bad things'll happen, but none of that matters_  
_We'll find a way, as long as I'm with you, I'm okay_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments!


	6. SAID I LOVE YOU

They’ve been struggling with the studio lately. There’re no many new projects coming in but the expenses have to be paid nonetheless. Ross is working harder than ever, he’d even started to go to the constructions sites to check on the progress of the few houses they are building right now. He doesn’t have to do it, but he goes anyway. He comes home weary and tired and her heart melts for him.

_You are the candle, love's the flame_  
_A fire that burns through wind and rain_  
_Shine your light on this heart of mine_  
_Till the end of time_  
_You came to me like the dawn through the night_  
_Just shinin' like the sun_  
_Out of my dreams and into my life_  
_You are the one, you are the one_

She holds him throughout the nights and manages the studio and the house during the day. She wants to make it right, wants to make it better for him. They’re so many things that are needed, she doesn’t know if they will be able to pay the two employees Ross had hired to help them this month. But she doesn’t say a thing, she doesn’t want to burden him with anything else. In the midst of all Francis died in a car accident and Ross has to help Elizabeth to run the company as well. She barely sees him these days. He’s always late and she too is drained after whole days dealing with the investors, suppliers and contractors on her own. And she tries to wait for him awake but the weight of her eyelids defeats her. She feels his weight on the mattress when he gets into bed, his back to her, and she crawls to him under the covers, whispers “I love you” and “I miss you” near his ear, but he’s already asleep.

_Said I loved you but I lied_  
_'Cause this is more than love I feel inside_  
_Said I loved you but I was wrong_  
_'Cause love could never ever feel so strong_  
_Said I loved you but I lied_

He comes home early one afternoon, Demelza hears the car parking at their entrance and watchs through the window as Prudie, who lives next door, goes to talk to him and seemed to be giving him a piece of her mind. He lowers his shoulders and nods. It’s her birthday today. Jinny and Jim had bought a cake and decorated the office with balloons that morning, and yelled “Surprise!” when she came back from a meeting. Prudie had gone to see her early that day too, brought her some pasties, Jud had waved her from their door when she went to open. Verity and Caroline had called. Dwight, Caroline had said, sent her his best wishes. They were a thing those two, she expected them to tie the knot at any moment now. But Ross hasn’t said anything. She’d heard him and the shaving machine when she woke up, but he was gone with a mere “See you” from the door while she was still in bed. He had texted her during the morning, asking for her to send some blueprints he had forgotten over his desk, but that was all.

“Demelza?” She heard him call when he came into the house. She was upstairs, working on her laptop. She’s got a freelance job for a magazine and was sketching the layout for the next issue. They needed every penny they could get, but she hadn’t told him that. The Victoria’s Secret’s bag came into the room before him. “Hi” – he said sheepishly. She raised her eyes from the screen but said nothing. He went to sit on the bed, set the striped pink paper bag next to her. “Happy Birthday.” – she pouted looking at the bag and then at him. Victoria’s Secret was really not her thing and he knew that. But it had been so long since he had a gesture with her, so long since they had shared a moment, a caress that it didn’t really matter to her. Just the idea that he had been thinking of her, that he had taken the time to go and buy something for her, it was enough. “I’m sorry that I forgot…” – “You didn’t. You didn’t forget, you’re here now.”  He watched her open her present, take out of the bag the two boxes he bought for her, she opened the perfume first, opened the bottle, smell it and smiled sweetly. She gasped when she opened the other box, ran her fingers through the aqua crystal plated babydoll he had chosen for her. He knew she didn’t like that sort of nightgowns, and he was mortified enough that he had forgotten her birthday. There were a million and one things in his mind and only when he had met Dwight in one of the buildings under construction and he asked him to send his regards to Demelza he had realized what day it was. And it was already late in the afternoon, and he had talked to her that day and said nothing! He went into the first shop he saw open and had run home. “Ross…” – she purred – “What’s the matter? You don’t like it?”. He could see the glimmer of tears in her eyes. “You… shouldn’t have to. This must cost a fortune and we have so little to spare.” – she said, but she was really touched by his display of affection, that he had chosen this as a gift to her... “Will it suit you?” – “I can’t tell.”

“Let me see…”

_With all my soul I've tried in vain_  
_How can mere words my heart explain_  
_This taste of heaven so deep so true_  
_I've found in you_  
_So many reasons in so many ways_  
_My life has just begun_  
_Need you forever, I need you to stay_  
_You are the one, you are the one._


	7. IS IT JUST ME

She first noticed when she tried to withdraw funds from the Leisure account at Pascoe’s bank. Jinny and Jim had been dating for a while and they’ve asked her if they could take a couple of weeks holiday together, so she had been saving money to pay their salaries and some more to cover both of their vacations, but the bank account was almost empty. She tried to call Ross and then texted him, but he doesn’t answer nor reads her texts. So she calls the Bank. They tell her Ross took out the money. They argued that night. She tells him he should have asked her first, he says he can do what it pleases him with his company’s money. She asks what has he done with it but he only gives evasive answers.

_Used to heatin' up in the shower, at it for hours_  
_Now you’re always in a rush_  
_I could be paranoid, but I swear, it's up in the air_  
_Are you fallin' out of love?_

He dresses to go out again when he comes out of the shower, but he tells her she has nothing to worry. He needed the cash to pay for some repairs in Elizabeth’s apartment at Trenwith but she will pay him back as soon as she can. “But we needed that money today.” – she says before he’s out of the room. And she tells him in a pit of anger that she has been working as a freelancer because there’s not enough money coming in to cover all the expenses and he gets cross because she’s been hiding this from him. But she’s not the one who’s hiding. If he would just stay and look, it’s all there for him to see. He has to go, he has an appointment. “I had to pawn my necklace today.” – is the last thing he hears her say before he leaves.

_The more I think about how we were, the more that I’m sure_  
_Sure it wasn't what it was_  
_We used to be, used to be better (Used to be better)_  
_We used to talk about growing old, now I don't know_  
_If we gon' make it through the month_

“Ross, where are you? You seem to be drifting away…” Elizabeth says next to him. He had spent a lot of time with her lately. Francis had left his affairs in complete disarray and his cousin in-law had asked for his help, Elizabeth had never really got the hand to the real-estate business. They have a dinner with a potential buyer that night but he seems to be running late, so he’s alone with Elizabeth in a fancy restaurant, a couple of drinks over the table. She hasn’t changed over the years, he can still see in her the same girl he met his first day in college. And talking was always easy with her, they were good at this. Go out to dinner, meet with friends, let time go by until dawn would find them. And he knows, deep down he senses that something is amiss but he stays in that romantic restaurant even when the client never came up. At ease with the simple talk instead of facing his upset wife. And Demelza can’t sleep that night.

_Don't wanna make it real if it's not, I wish I could stop_  
_With over-overthinking us_  
_Feelin' like there's nowhere to go, it’s taking a toll_  
_I don’t wanna give you up_  
_But we used to be, used to be better_

She doesn’t know if Ross came back to the house that night or not. She receives a call first thing in the morning, there has been a collapse in one of the buildings under construction. When she gets there, Ross is already there. There are two deaths. One of the workers they knew, it was one of Ross’ childhood friends. Ross let her hug him, he’s devastated. It’s not his fault, she repeats “It’s not your fault” all the way home. In truth, it wasn’t. They are not in charge of the construction, only of the design, but he knows Ross would hear no reason, it was one of their projects anyway.  

_Is it just me or did our talks get a little bit shorter?_  
_Is it just me or did the nights get a little bit colder?_  
_When that argument got vulgar_  
_When it should've just blown over_  
_It was nothing, nothing_  
_Is it just, just me?_

She’s getting the dinner ready when she hears the beep of the computer telling an e-mail has arrived. A moment later Ross is out of the house again. She reads the mail, it’s from Elizabeth. She tells Ross she’s been trying to contact him all afternoon but couldn’t, and that George Warleggan thought yesterday's dinner was today. He’s made a generous offer not just to buy Trenwith Tower but the whole Poldark Estate, he’s not interested in the other buildings.

_It’s 2 A.M., you're not even home, I'm here alone_  
_Callin', but your phone is off_  
_You go and blame it all on your friends, not that again_  
_Need to know what’s going on, 'cause_  
_The more I think about how we were, the more that I'm sure_  
_Sure I'm not the only one_  
_We used to be, used to be better_

Ross can’t help it. She can’t be serious. Doesn’t she realize that the Warleggans are their biggest competition on the market? That they’ve been trying to put them out of business for years and his father, his uncle, the very same Francis had worked for years to keep them at bay. He calls Elizabeth from his car, she tells him she’s already at her apartment. He’s full of grieve and sorrow already, and now this? “I’m sorry, Ross. I didn’t know it meant that much to you, but you must see it would be a great relief for me not to have to deal with the company anymore.” – “You’ve never seemed to know anything, Elizabeth!” – he spits. She looks meekly at him and says again, “I’m sorry, Ross… what can I do to make it up to you?” before he knows it she’s in his arms. Their lips crushing each other. His tongue entering her mouth. There’s a sort of desperation in Ross’ actions, the toil of the day, the distress of his life making him lose control of his actions. And Elizabeth, her everlasting beauty reminds him of a time without complications. She puts a hand on his jeans to open the buttons and zipper. They stumble over the couch and she makes quick way to loosen his pants and free his cock. She bents to take off her panties and climbs over him and he’s in. It’s not the first time they’ve been together but certainly, this is not the same as before. Ross thrusts are rapid and urgent, and Elizabeth believes to meet him in his passion. But something has clicked on Ross' head the moment he was inside her and his fervor is more to be over with than for desiring her. It’s not long before he’s spent and Elizabeth collapses in a moan on top of him.    

_Never forget, night that we met, you had another one_  
_You did it then, you'd do it again, now I'm the other one_

Demelza pretends to be asleep when Ross gets home. She sees the light coming from under the bathroom’s door and hears the water falling from the shower. In the dark, she sees him move and discard the clothes he was wearing in the dirty laundry basket. Then he quietly gets into bed.

  
_Is it just me or did our talks get a little bit shorter?_  
_Is it just me or did the nights get a little bit colder?_  
_When that argument got vulgar_  
_When it should've just blown over_  
_It was nothing, nothing_  
_Is it just, just me?_

The next morning is Ross the one who fakes being sleep when Demelza raises from the bed. Somehow she manages to start as it was any normal day. She tries to focus on mundane tasks, she doesn’t want to know. She puts the kettle on, cuts some bread to put in the toaster, turns on the TV to watch the news and hear the weather forecast. She hears the shower again upstairs so she goes to fetch the dirty clothes to wash whatever it is he wants to clean. When she’s in the room Ross‘ mobile lights up, he had it set it in silent. She knows his blocking pattern by heart, she’d seen him unblock his phone thousands of times. She doesn’t want to but the message is already hitting her on her face. A picture of Elizabeth, disheveled and lying on a sofa. The text says: “You were great last night, I still couldn’t move from here. Come tonight? Perhaps we can make it to the bedroom.”  Face throwing a kiss Emoji. 

_Never forget,_ night _that we met, you had another one_  
_You did it then, you'd do it again, now I'm the other one_  
_Never forget,_ night _that we met, you had another one_  
_You did it then, you'd do it again, now I'm the other one_  
  
_Is it just me or_  
 _Did our talks get a little bit shorter?_  
 _Is it just me or_  
 _Did the night get a little bit colder?_  
 _When that argument got vulgar_  
 _When it should've just blown over_  
 _It was nothing, nothing_  
  
_Is it just, just me?_  
 _Oh, is it just, just me?_  
I _been standin', waitin', gazin' up_  
 _Is it just, just me?_  
 _You know, you know, you know, you know that_  
 _Is it just, just me?_  
I _been waiting for you, baby, until now_  
  
_Is it just me? Is it, is it?_  
_  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I couldn't help it! I'm writing this on a frenzy, so apologies again for any mistake. Thank you for reading and leaving comments and kudos, they mean a lot to me.


	8. BREATHE

Demelza doesn't say anything to him when he comes out of the shower. She’s numb, doesn't feel a thing or it might be that she’s feeling so much ache, such anger and betray that it is impossible for her to externalize all those feelings together. She left the mobile right where it was and goes on with the laundry. She's already drinking her tea when he comes down to the kitchen. She had made another cup for him, though he hadn't had breakfast with her in weeks. He sits opposite her. She readies herself for what’s to come, he will tell her that is over, that he is going to be with Elizabeth now.

_Sand keeps slipping right through my hands_  
_Days all feel the same, still numb from you_  
_First step off of this plane, I knew_  
_I suffocate without you, heart beats for two_  


Ross says nothing. What happened last night he can't understand. Nor why he did it or why the world felt to turn upside down the moment he felt her in him. Demelza is quiet in front of him, does she know? It's the first time he shares a meal with her in a very long time. He ought to say something, he knows. But what can he say? In a way, what happened has nothing to do with her, and yet if she finds out, if she knew what he did it would break her heart. And for the life of him, he doesn't want to see her suffer.

She doesn't watch him anymore, she just hears him say he will go to the building site which has collapsed to see if there's anything that can be done – And tonight you'll go to Elizabeth – she thinks but says naught.

  
_It was good_  
_What we had_  
_Yeah, that was better times_  
_Can somebody take me back?_  
_And it hurts_  
_Looking back_  
_If this is for the best_  
_Then tell me why it hurts so bad_  


She goes to the studio and cancels all the meetings she has for that week. She's sorry for Jinny and Jim, she doesn't know what's going to happen to them when they come back from their holiday. Maybe Ross can employ them at Trenwith. The first time that she cries is when she calls Caroline. She barely grasps what she tells her between sobs. Her friend is ringing the bell in less than half an hour, she has stopped crying by then. Caroline invites her to stay in her house if she wants to. And Demelza is thankful because she does want to get out of the house. She intends to pack only a bag, just for a few days, but she had filled two suitcases with all of her clothes. Caroline helps her, “Take all you want”, she tells her and so they look for boxes in the studio and they start packing her books, her photos, her life. Demelza looks around the room and takes every single tablecloth, every vase, every painting she hung on the walls, every single thing she placed to made a home for them and throws them into the box. She doesn't want to take them with her but she doesn't want to look at them like they were mocking her ever again. He can do whatever he wants with them, with their home, with his life.

  
_Don't let go when the daylight's gone_  
_'Cause it's always darkest before the dawn_  
_I breathe, oh_  
_When the cold air starts filling up my lungs_  
_And I hate the things that I've become_  
_I breathe, oh_

Ross comes back while they’re finishing loading the suitcases and some of the boxes in Caroline’s car, Garrick is already barking in the back seat. He comes to her with a puzzled expression on his face. “What are you doing?” He asks. There's s fire in Demelza's eyes when she looks at him and he's taken back by her demeanor. He had never seen her like this. “Demelza…” he tries to get in her way when she doesn't answer. “I'm leaving.” it's what she says and he has the nerve to look shocked. Caroline gets into the car, there's nothing more to do but go. “Wait, Demelza. Lets talk, lets go to the house…” – “There's nothing to talk, everything is perfectly clear. This is for the best.” She tries to get into the car, but Ross grabs her arm and stops her again. Caroline starts the engine. “You can't just go, you're my wife!” – “Your wife? Your wife! Did you remember that I was your wife when you slept with Elizabeth?!... All this time, while I was here waiting for you, tending our home, managing your studio, all this time you were with her…”

“No! Demelza, that's not true…” But wasn't it, though? In his hesitation, Demelza took the opportunity to get in the car. Nothing more was said. She was gone.

  
_Regrets dancing around my head, everything I never said_  
_Still numb from you_  
_Secrets sleeping all over this bed_  
_Memories of what we did_  
_Got mixed with you_  
  
_And it hurts_  
_Looking back_  
_If this is for the best_  
_Then tell me why it hurts so bad_  
  
_Don't let go when the daylight's gone_  
_'Cause it's always darkest before the dawn_  
_I breathe_  
_When the cold air starts filling up my lungs_  
_And I hate the things that I've become_  
_I breathe_  
  
_Sand keeps slipping right through my hands_  
_Days all feel the same, still numb from you_


	9. NOBODY ELSE

His home is a mess, it seems to be void. He finds boxes with a pile of stuff that were over the house, blankets, cushions, crockery they bought together. There’s another box full of DVDs they used to watch cuddled on the sofa. He calls and texts but she doesn’t answer the phone nor replies to his messages. She blocks his number, and in return, he blocks Elizabeth’s and deletes all her messages and pictures. He’s ashamed when he sees there’re more than a few from the last weeks. How the fuck did this happen? He goes to the studio, everything seems to be in order there. Just her desk is empty, her books gone, but all the files, models and blueprints are in their place. Ross goes to his office, there’s a picture of them kissing outside the courthouse the day that they married, she looks so happy, he looks so happy too. He tries with Caroline, she doesn’t answer either but after a moment he receives a text from her: “Leave her alone, Ross.” And he doesn’t know what to do, because all he wants is turn back in time and undo what he did. He stares at the married couple in the picture.   

_Just memorizing lines upon your face_  
_I made a map, every photo and the details on the frames_  
_And just last night we spilled red wine, how it stained the floor_  
_And though I know that nothing ever really stays the same, no_  
_Oh, if I could stop the hands of that clock_  
_Never let 'em tick, tick, tick_  
_Wherever I go, yeah, I would still know_  
_Even though it's selfish_

She hears Dwight whispering with Caroline behind a closed door. They’re arguing. “She doesn’t want to see him!”- Caroline says. “He is her husband, they have to talk sooner or later.” She’s been avoiding him for more than a week. Caroline is firm on her side, but Dwight is Ross' friend and even when he recognized what he did was terrible he still thinks she has to give him a chance to explain. She says she will, even if it's to keep his friends from keep fighting. But she needs a little more time, needs to put her two feet on the ground before meeting him.

  
_I don't wanna share you with no one else, no one else_  
_I can't compare you to no one else, no one else_  
_'Cause people_ change _and memories fade_  
_But could you stay the same, if nothing else?_  
_No, I don't wanna share you with no one else, nobody else_

Demelza gets a permanent job at the magazine. On her first day, she reads a new article about Warleggan & Co. absorbing the Poldark Real State company. She wonders what Ross was going to do now. It’s been more than a month since their breakup when she calls him. Ross doesn’t recognize the ID number and sounds surprised when she says “Hi.” The call is awkward and brief, they arranged a meeting after Demelza goes out from work.

_Torn by the way your voice is changing on the phone_  
_All this space in between us makes it hard to feel close to you_  
_And just last night I had some red wine and it brought me back_  
_No matter what I'll remember you forever like that, you know_

When she arrives at the Starbucks Ross is already there, a black thick beard covering his face, she almost didn’t recognize him. She buys a Chai Crème Frappuccino and goes to sit with him. “You have a new job, Dwight told me.” – “Yes.”, she says. “They have an architecture section, and today they offered me to be the editor, you know, because of my experience.” “Congratulations!” he says sincerely, “they are lucky to have you.” With the promotion she will be able to rent a new place for her and Garrick, she has caused enough trouble for her friends thus far. She drinks her coffee and asks about the studio. He tells her that Jinny and Jim were terribly downhearted when they came back and hadn’t found her there. There’s a couple of new projects, but nothing too remarkable. Then he shifts on his seat and looks up at her from under his eyelashes, “Listen Demelza, I… I understand why you left. But you must know that I’ve never meant to hurt you.” She looks away from him, her hands tightening her frappuccino. “So I must think it was an accident and that you acted without a second thought?” – “No. I don’t know what it came over me at that moment.” “But it wasn’t just a moment, Ross. Was it?” – “What do you mean?” All the time he spent with her, late nights, early mornings, all the time he used to be out of the house. He denies it and says it was just one night. Just one night. Like if that were a comfort, a solace for all the time she waited for him to come to her. He tells her he’s sorry, he didn’t realize, he didn’t mean for them to go this way.

_Oh, if I could stop the hands of that clock_  
_And never let 'em tick, tick, tick_  
_Wherever I go, yeah, I would still know_  
_That even though it's selfish, oh_  
_I don't wanna share you with no one else, no one else_  
_I can't compare you to no one else, no one else_  
_'Cause people_ change _and memories fade_  
_But could you stay the same, if nothing else?_  
_No, I don't wanna share you with no one else, nobody else_

She doesn’t know if she believes him. She moves out from Caroline’s to her new place. It’s… cozy. And Garrick loves it, only that he does not. She asked for him not to call her, that she will do it when she thinks she’s ready, but she doesn’t want to think much about him now. Time keeps flying back and she focuses on her new job. But at night she dreams about him, she thought she had overcome it and certainly he does not hurt her anymore, but she keeps taking him everywhere.

_Nobody, nobody, nobody else_  
_'Cause people_ change _and memories fade_  
_But could you stay the same, if nothing else?_  
_I said people change and memories fade_  
_But could you stay the same, if nothing else?_  
  
_I don't wanna share you with no one else, no one else_  
_I can't compare you to no one else, no one else_  
_'Cause people_ change _and memories fade_  
_But could you stay the same, if nothing else?_  
_No, I don't wanna share you with no one else, nobody else_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying this little story. And thank you again for all the comments and kudos, they mean a lot ;)


	10. CHATEAU

They finally did it! Caroline and Dwight are getting married. The ceremony at Gunwalloe Church was quiet and intimate but the party was going to be big and unforgettable, the bride said. Demelza is Caroline’s maid of honor, she had supervised with her friend every little detail and so far things were going as smooth as they expected. She had asked for a week off at the magazine and together had spent the last two days in a spa, well, the last 24 hours she had been arranging flowers and folding napkins, but she was not going to complain about that.

Ross was supposed to be the best man, but he’d had a problem with his flight and was currently sitting on the backseat of a taxi, high speed to Truro. The Leisure studio was slowly resurrecting from the ashes. It had been tough the first months when he was alone to deal with everything, he found himself a stranger in his own company, so long it had been since he let it out on Demelza's hands, and he didn't know how in heavens she had managed during all those months. His solution was not the ideal one, he had asked for a loan that he then didn’t know how to pay and when he thought he had reached bottom it was Demelza who saved him. She had published their projects on the magazine, one house or building per issue and so Leisure had raised again. He had been asked to design some houses abroad, and he had had to fly to Italy in the last minute.

“Are you sure you’re in the right place mate?”, Demelza heard Malcom’s thick Scottish accent behind her. He’s been helping her welcoming people to the reception. Paul Daniel, Dwight’s friend who was supposed to do it was replacing Ross in best man’s duty and was with the photographer who was taking pictures to the newlyweds. It was Ross who he was talking to.    

_I saw you on the corner_  
_You look happy, happier than I do_  
_Your hair's a little longer_  
_Am I crazy, is it blonder than it was than_  
_When you walked out my house?_  
_I didn't say a thing, no_  
_It's funny how a year can fill your head with should've, would've, could've been_

“Ross!” - she looked at him from head to toe – “Thank God you’re here, Caroline was about to send for a helicopter to fetch you” – “I didn’t have time to change. If I went to Sawle I was going to miss the reception too.” – “Don’t worry, I’m sure we can find something before Caroline sees you.” Malcom made a noise with his throat. “Oh, sorry Malcom, this is Ross. My ex… ex-husband. He’s Dwight’s, the groom’s best friend. Ross, this is Malcom my…’ Date. Malcom McNeil was her date. They have been going out for a couple of weeks. “… workmate. He works in the magazine too.” Demelza had never called him back after the day she said to him she would. She had focused on her career and was content with her work. She and Ross had seen each other here and there over the last year, mainly in Caroline and Dwight’s home, and their relationship was not so awkward as it was at the beginning. Though it was not really a relationship, he had kept his distance and she had thought that was for the best. The part of her that pained still do so, but she'd tried her best to ignore it.

The party was a success. Everyone ate and drank, and danced. Dwight gave a speech that left everyone weeping and then it was time for Ross. She didn’t know he could be so eloquent. And.. and sweet. “A dear person I knew used to say that if two people love each other, then the obstacles which keep them apart must be substantial, else they lack the courage of their convictions. Life holds very few things that are genuinely worth having. And if you possess them, then nothing else matters. And if you don’t possess them, then everything else is worthless. I raise my glass for you, my friends. For you to have the wisdom to cherish what is precious and may together overcome any obstacle that comes your way. To Dwight and Caroline!” – To Dwight and Caroline, everyone repeated while Demelza surreptitiously dried her tears.

Malcom wasn’t very much of a dancer, though he tried with a couple of songs. She mostly danced with Caroline and Verity. She could feel his eyes fixed on her back the whole night. Could see him drinking out of the corner of her eye. The night was fading away and she went to sit at her table to have a drink, Malcom was nowhere to be seen. She had taken her shoes off when she made eye contact whim him. He gulped the last of his drink in one swallow and stood up, walking to her, never taking his eyes off hers. Demelza felt her blood burn in her cheeks. When he was standing next to her he yelled on her ear “Do you want to dance?”. It was the first thing he had ever said to her, and she couldn’t help but smile at him. “No. My feet are sore. I’ve been in these bloody shoes since the morning.” – “Take them off.”, he said. “Come, Demelza, dance with me.”

Soon after they got on the dance floor, the music changed. Only couples were left around them. Ross pressed her lower back, bring his body closer to her. She rested her hands over his shoulders. They danced to the quiet music for a while, it had been so long since they’ve been this close to each other. “Do you think Dwight and Caroline will be happy?” She looked up at him, She had rested her head on his shoulder. “Mmm… I think so. When people love as they love…” –  “Do you think is enough?” Demelza raised her shoulders. “It was nice, your speech.”

_Took my words, wrote them down, threw them out_  
_And now there's only five left to tell you_  
  
_Baby, I want you back_  
_There's a space in my bed_  
_In the shape of your head_  
_I said it, what if I said it?_  
_Baby, I want you back_  
_Would you come back around?_  
_'Cause I need you right now_  
_I said it, there, I said it_  
_Baby, I want you back_

“It cost me a great deal to learned it.” They kept dancing, there was no one else but them on the dance floor. Ross had his arms around her, wrapping her. Demelza had turned her head and was now resting under his chin, her own arms around his neck. They moved slowly, and Ross opened his eyes for a moment, not many people were paying much attention to them but he saw someone who was. “This… Malcom? What’s the deal with him?” “Who? Oh, he’s just a friend.” “Are you sure?” – She nodded against his chest. “Do you know what this place reminds me?” “Our honeymoon.” He embraced her even closer. “Demelza…”  

_Would you meet me at the chateau?_  
_At a table, I'd get your favorite chardonnay, yeah_  
_'Cause babe, you know, a bottle is a little bit too much to drink alone_  
_We could catch up, make out,_ _make up_  
_'Cause I don't wanna go_  
_Another day without you, come on_  
_Baby, I want you back_  
_There's a space in my bed_  
_In the shape of your head_  
_I said it, what if I said it?_  
_Baby, I want you back_  
_Would you come back around?_  
_'Cause I need you right now_  
_I said it, there, I said it_  
_Baby, I want you back_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! And thank you so much for leaving comments, I loved them. There're three chapters left, probably going to post two tomorrow and the last one on Saturday, or one tomorrow and two on Saturday. The point is that you won't have to wait long ;)


	11. NO PLACE

She calls him after the wedding. Ross is not in Cornwall, he’s abroad again supervising a new project. Her excuse is that she wants to write an article about him and Leisure, it would be interesting for the readers to get to know the man behind the designs, they've been doing it with other architects, she says. She hears him laughs at the other end of the line. He agrees, when he comes back they can meet at the Chateau in Porthcurno. “Oh"- she hesitates. “You know that's the best job I've done.”

She waits for him at the restaurant in a table on the balcony. The view is stunning, like every view in Cornwall, but this place holds something more in it. Memories of walks on the beach, hands holding, kisses and caresses. Ross sits in front of her, she didn't hear him approaching. He’s now dressed too formal for an outside lunch. She doesn't need to know that he changed three times before coming to see her. They order some food and more wine, and he tells her where he had been and the new projects he has. Leisure had specialized in beach houses now and he has clients in several countries around the world. He had to hire interns, juniors architects, Jinny and Jim both got a promotion. She's happy for him, she tells him. “It's all thanks to you. If you hadn't published the articles, no one would know about us.” – “Nay, Ross.” She dismissed him. “It is all because of your work.” Demelza wants to properly start with the interview and Ross suggests they do it while taking a walk down the beach. She raised an eyebrow at him and tells him he's going to ruin his suit, but they go anyway. After she took off her shoes and Ross rolled up his trousers and takes off his shoes, socks and jacket, they go to the sand. Demelza is recording their conversation with her mobile and asks him to tell her why he decided to become an architect. She knows the answer of course. Knows that he wasn't sure if he wanted to work in his family business, that he wanted to make something on his own. And architecture was creative enough and was related in some way with his family's company, so his father was not so disappointed. She asks for him to tell about his career, and he smiled at her under his Ray Bans. “Did you bring a hat? You're turning a bit red.” “I have sunscreen on.” He says that after he graduated he worked with his family, but it wasn't until he came back from getting his Masters that his career truly begun. “I met a girl on the very same day I came back from the States. I think I fell in love with her the very first moment I lay my eyes on her. She was beautiful, funny and innocent and by that time I had nothing to offer her. She let me sleep on her couch that night, and stood by me for a long time. I opened Leisure because of her. Because she needed a job and I didn't want her to go. She brought the style to our designs, put the company on the map. But the economic crisis hit us hard and I… I made some terrible mistakes.” Demelza didn't say anything for a while, they had reached the end of the beach, a steep cliff hanging over them. “Come, let’s get you out of the sun.” Ross sat in one of the rocks, guarded by the shade and out of the sun. He placed his jacket for her to seat and took her hand and brought her to rest next to him, his arm over her shoulders. “And now?” – she asked.- “Everything seems to be going well now.”

_I've been to Paris, made my way down to Rome_  
_Seen the sun setting on the beach in Mexico_  
_But I could care less, 'cause I was all alone_  
_And there ain't no way to touch your body over the phone_  
  
_I've been all around the world, done all there is to do_  
_But you'll always be the home I wanna come home to_  
_You're a wild night with a hell of a view_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you_

Demelza rested her head in the crook of his neck, his hand drawing soothing patterns on her back, the sound of the sea familiar and comforting. “Have you seen Elizabeth?” she said after a while. “No. I haven't seen her or talked to her since that night.” “I've heard she’s got engaged with George Warleggan.” “Has she? I'm glad for her.” Demelza raised her head to look at his face. “I’m so sorry for what happened, Demelza. You didn't deserve that. I was stupid and took you for granted. It won’t happen again.” She kissed him then. Sweet and perfectly. He shifted his body and placed his hands on the sides of her face, holding her to him.

_You're my daybreak, you're my California sun_  
_You're my Memphis, New York, New Orleans all rolled into one_  
_In the city, the country, the mountains or sea_  
_Wherever you are, baby, that's where I wanna be_  
  
_I've been all around the world, done all there is to do_  
_But you'll always be the home I wanna come home to_  
_You're a wild night with a hell of a view_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you, no_

They rest their foreheads together after his lips travelled from her mouth to her cheeks, eyes, nose and all over her face. He takes a deep breath, like breathing again for the first time in months. “Well,” she says against his lips, “I can't use that for the article. You better tell me about your current projects and how you get your inspiration for them.” He chuckled - “I just think in what would my wife have done.” And he kissed her again. “All this time I've been afraid…” “Afraid if what?” “That one day you’d call, asking for the divorce, saying that you not longer wanted to be wife.” “I've never not wanted to be your wife, Ross. I just don't want to be second best.” – “You have never been or ever will be second best to me, my love.”

_There ain't no place_  
_Ooh, yeah, ain't no place_  
_Wherever you are, baby, that's where I wanna be_  
  
_I've been all around the world, done all there is to do_  
_But you'll always be the home I wanna come home to_  
_You're a wild night with a hell of a view_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you_  
_There ain't no place, ain't no place like you_  
_Said there ain't no place, ain't no place like you, yeah_  
  
_There ain't no place (No place, no place)_  
_No place_  
_There ain't no place like_  
_No place like you_  
_No place, no place, no place, no place_  
_There ain't no place, no place like you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	12. THE WAY IT WAS

“So, this Malcolm guy…” – He says from behind her, his hand curling a lock of hair in one of his fingers, his hips slightly skimming her buttocks – “do you see him every day at the office?”. Ross is at her apartment, he has dawned in there since they came back from the Chateau. Garrick is not pleased at all, he’d got used to sleeping on her bed the last few months but the first night Ross came he closed the bedroom door in his nose and he has been whining every night since. Neighbours had complained. It doesn’t bother much to them, they have not been exactly sleeping much. Ross had been on a mission of spending every single moment he can with Demelza. He goes from her place to the studio, only setting foot in Nampara for quick showers and change of clothes. She said she doesn’t want him bringing his stuff to her apartment, it is too little, but his clothes and laptop and sketches are all over the place anyway. She’s right, the place is too small, but it has its advantages. Like right now, she’s in the kitchenette making breakfast and he can prowl behind her, close to her. Too tempting, Ross moves the hair from her shoulders and kisses his neck, his morning beard tickling against her skin.

_You kiss a little different now_  
_You changed your hair, I like it now_  
_And baby, your body still feels the same_  
_And soon I'll be lying on the floor, picking up the pieces_  
_Drinking it away, pretending I don't need ya_  
_But right now, I'm gonna hold you_ like _nothing has changed_

A content sound comes from Demelza and she giggles. God, he had missed her so much. Missed her laugh and the warmth of her body next to him. He presses himself harder against her, circling her waist with his arms, his lips travelling from the base of her neck and up, and she leans against the counter and turns her head to kiss him.

  
_I'm going crazy over you_  
_Over you again, yeah_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was, oh_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was_  
_And it's so crazy, what you do_  
_What you do to me,_  
_This isn't how I remember us_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was._

It’s better, it is so much better than how he remembered them. When she whirls Demelza wraps her arms around his shoulders, her tongue playing with his, and he lifts her up like she were a feather. She wraps her legs around his waist and it takes two steps to carry her to the bedroom again.

_It's a shot to my veins, lying in your bed_  
_Never thought I'd be back with you again_  
_So, do your worst, 'cause you know that I'll always forgive you_  
_Guess I will, guess I will_

_I'm going crazy over you_  
_Over you again, yeah_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was, oh_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was_  
_And it's so crazy, what you do_  
_What you do to me, oh yeah_  
_This isn't how I remember us_  
_No, it's never gonna be the way it was, oh_  
  
_You know, I still want you, baby_  
_We both know_  
_We will never be the same_

Garrick is barking on the other side of the door as they both lay exhausted on the bed. “Christ, that mongrel!” – He says when he has recovered the strength to talk. “It’s not his fault, you’re the one who’s usurping his bed.” She teases him. Her head resting on his chest, her hair all over him. He idly runs a hand over her naked belly. “They’re going to kick me out if he keeps going like this…” Ross wishes they kick her out. Maybe he can leave Garrick outside of the apartment the next time, so he can bark on the hall. “Would that be such a terrible thing? He’s got a home waiting for him, with a big yard where he can run through and a garden he can shatter.” “Do you intend to get my dog away from me, Ross?” – she says laughing. “No no no… I just aim to get my wife back into our home, you know, I think... I think the dog would like it.” He pinches her at her stomach and tickles her, and Demelza rolls over the bed shrinking and laughing until she trapped underneath him, the weight of his body crushing her against the mattress and he kisses her again. She could spend her whole life being kiss by him.

  
_I'm going crazy over you_  
_Over you again, oh yeah_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was_  
_I'm going crazy over you, babe_  
_Over you again, baby_  
_This isn't how I remember us, no, baby_  
_It's never gonna be the way it was_  
_I'm going crazy, what you do_  
_What you do to me, baby_  
_This isn't how I remember us_  
_No, it's never gonna be the way it was_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left... Thanks for reading!


	13. JUST LIKE YOU LIKE IT

_Turn that music way down low_  
_We'll take it nice and slow_  
_I'll play it for you, just like you like it_  
_Oh, we're two shadows in the dark_  
_Nothing between us but a spark_  
_I'll light this night up just like you like it_

“Wait!” He says the first night she’s back at Nampara. The first thing Demelza noticed when she came into the house was that Ross had placed every little thing she had put down and thrown away in its place, Garrick ran away from her as soon as they step down from the car to chase birds and hop in the fields. Jinny and Jim had organized a small welcome gathering at the office when she went to the studio and gave her flowers. Them, the two new interns Ross had hired, and Jud and Prudie, they toasted for her and for Leisure. Ross stood beside her the whole time, a protective hand always on her waist or shoulder. He wanted her back with him at home, and back at the studio, but he’d had to compromise with her job at the magazine, she did not want it to quit entirely, but at the same time she wanted to design again, instead of just showing what other people created. She could handle both things, for now at least. She knew Ross intended having her with him on his trips and she did not dislike the idea.

Evening soon came, time to go to bed. They had shared countless nights together since they have reconciled. She no longer felt she was the second in his life, he had made himself clear and had shown her how much he cared for her, how much he wanted to be with her. She no longer thought or suspected of Elizabeth and she would always dismiss Ross with playful kisses when he asked about Malcolm McNeil, though she silently relished his fits of jealousy and how he held her and kissed her goodbye every morning to remind her she should go back to him later in the day, as she could forget. “I have something for you.” They were both sitting close on their couch, having a glass of wine. He stood in front of her, a velvet case on his hands. Inside it was her necklace, de gold chainlet with the DP charm he had given her long time ago, long before she even was Demelza Poldark. "Ross. How did you find it?" - "By searching and refusing to give up."       

_Girl, it's all for you, everything I do_  
_You just set the groove_  
_I'll pour it on, strong and smooth_  
_We've got all night long_  
_So, tell me what you want_  
_I'm gonna love you just like you like it_  
  
_Oh, just like you like it_

Soon they’re in their bedroom, her necklace the only thing left on her. Her eyes meet his and all she can see is love in them. He gets closer to her and Ross molds his body to her and she runs her hands through his hair, spiking through the dark strands she so dearly missed touching all the time they were apart. Just as she had missed him and this. Demelza sinks into his kiss, twisting around to press her chest to his, his tongue wet and hot and she knows she would stay with him like this forever if she could. “Demelza,” he says as he could read her thoughts and while falling with her into the mattress, “I want to keep you in this bed with me forever.” She smiles against his mouth and is about to tell him that he's ridiculous but she can't because she knows what he means, she wants that too.

_I'll brush that hair back off your face_  
_Girl, let my fingers trace all over you_  
_Just like you like it_  
_You breathe my name, I feel the heat_  
_Now we're on fire in these sheets_  
_'Cause I'm burning for you, just like you like it_

His finger touches her cheek, then caresses slowly downward to her neck, and Demelza feels the barely touch everywhere, inside and out. She has goosebumps on her skin, and she moans when he drags his finger over her breast and nipple. He leans in closer, careful not to press his body to hers, but that's exactly what she wants. And he brushes her lips and the next moment he's gone. He stands on the side of the bed, and starts quickly to remove his clothes, the silence around them betray her and Ross hears her gasp as she watches him so he slows down, and deliberate undo one by one the buttons of his shirt for her to see. A moment later and his chest is bare, his clothes are gone, and they are both naked. He reaches around her and flattens his hands on her stomach, his eyes never leaving hers. The anticipation, the ache between her thighs, the heaviness of her breasts almost impossible to bare. “You're so beautiful.” – he murmurs, his gaze hotly over her breasts that he then caresses and his hands slip to her face, his lips covering hers once more, her tongue licking into his mouth over and over again. Her arms are wrapped around his neck, her fingers are in his hair, trying to bring him even closer. He's all over her, the thick ridge of his erection pressing between her thighs and there's nothing more than the desire for him to be inside her. Demelza lifts her leg, pressing her foot into his lower back, arching into him. “Ross,” she whispers, and he raised his head to look at her, stroking her cheek, dragging his fingers down her neck again, caressing her shoulder. “I love you.” – he says, and he presses inside her. He drives deep and buries himself until he can go no further. “I love you too.” She moans in his ear, and then there's just the sound of their breathing filling the air, melding together.

  
_Girl, it's all for you, everything I do_  
_You just set the groove_  
_I'll pour it on, strong and smooth_  
_We've got all night long_  
_So, tell me what you want_  
_I'm gonna love you just like you like it_  
  
_Just like you like it_  
_Oh, just like you like it_  
_Just like you like it_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the last chapter, thank you so much for reading and leaving comments and kudos, I really appreciate them. As I said, this was a little experiment but I had so much fun writing it, I'm glad to see you liked it. As you might notice, I didn't include any of the children. I wanted it to be a short fic and write it quickly so I can go back to The Affair, but I really loved these two so maybe I could go back to them at some point or get ideas from this.  
> Thank again for reading and I hope that if you listen to a Backstreet Boys' song you think of Romelza ;)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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